


A Way Back Home

by Nona__AM



Series: OQAngstFest [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, OQAngstFest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 20:12:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15648117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nona__AM/pseuds/Nona__AM
Summary: Written for #OQAngstFestDay two, Saturday.Prompt(s) used: (7, 40, 48)





	A Way Back Home

* * *

She didn’t trust in psychics. 

Fortune tellers. Mediums. Palm readers. Whatever.

A human being couldn’t possibly know the future of another. It sounded too impossible to believe. So when Regina Mills’ best friend, Mary Margaret Blanchard, insisted upon one last stop on the way home from their girls’ night out, dragging her in the direction of the lone caravan in the middle of the open field, she relented. One, it was late in the evening and the caravan was in the middle of nowhere, and that screamed danger. Two, she didn’t _believe_ in all that nonsense. It was nothing but a waste of money. Money she could easily spend on more worthy things.

But she went along. Not that she had any other option—she was dragged by her hand.

“I’ll go first, I’ll go first!” Mary Margaret all but squealed in delight, making Regina’s eyes roll.

“Be my guest,” she muttered, taking a step back as her friend approached the woman.

She wasn’t old like Regina expected her to be. Maybe it was stereotypical of her to think an old hag would emerged from inside. But the woman was young, probably in her late twenties, if her guessing was right. Petite in her size, tousled, blonde hair pinned up in a messy bun, and her blue eyes bright, curious as she eagerly ushered her friend in.

A tad _too_ young to be a fortunate teller. She had to be a fraud.

But Mary Margaret did whatever Mary Margaret wanted to do, and when the pixie-haired put her mind to something, she got it.

So Regina wandered outside of the caravan as she waited, careful not to stray too far from the dimly lit spot as she took in her surroundings.

Storybrooke was a lovely town. Small with a tight-knit community. Almost everyone knew the other, or knew _of_ the other. There was Archie Hopper, the town’s shrink, and his black and white speckled dog, Pongo, who tackled her every morning on the way to work with a wagging tail. And Granny Lucas, the proud owner everyone’s go-to fast food outlet, _Granny’s_ _Diner_. Genius, right? Who would’ve ever come up with a better name?

There was Sheriff Graham Humbert, the man Mary Margaret has been trying to set her up with for ages. He was good looking—tall, brunet with captivating Prussian blue eyes, and the Irish accent was most definitely an added bonus. But, regardless of how handsome he was, she had little interest in dating. Cliché thing for a workaholic to say, but it was true.

She was content with how her life was. Alone but not lonely, sharing an apartment with her best friend, and co-owning a bar with another. The Lioness. She put her heart and soul into that little watering hole. It wasn’t the biggest, but everyone enjoyed it. They kept coming back every night for more.

“Regina!”

Her thoughts dissolved at the enthusiastic screech coming from behind her.

“You’re _never_ gonna believe all the things she told me!” MaryMargaret sprinted over, gathering Regina’s hands in her own as she gushed over the reading session. Promises of her Prince Charming knocking on her door in the near future. Followed by a fairytale wedding and children. Of everything Regina believe was nothing but nonsense. It was all what Mary Margret wanted to hear, and it was what the fortune teller delivered. She conned her. “—and she knew things I never disclosed. Regina, you have to give this a go.”

“Oh no,” Regina laughed, shaking her head. “No, no. I’m not going in there. It’s a waste of money. Everything she said is probably just a bunch of lies—“

“It’s not,” Mary Margaret promised. 

“You don’t know that. Everything she said sounds like something she’d told every other girl who walked in there. It’s not worth fifteen bucks.” 

“You haven’t even given it a try yet!” 

“And I won’t.” 

“Los Angeles. Ten years ago.”

Regina stiffened, not at the accented voice she didn’t recognize coming from behind her, but at the words. Los Angeles. Ten years ago. “What did you say?” 

“Come in, Regina,” the petite blonde offered, and she ignored the fact that she knew her name without her giving it away. Maybe Mary Margaret mentioned it in a conversation somewhere. That had to be it. Still, she was left with an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. “I know you’re intrigued. I promise you won’t walk away disappointed.” 

Everything in her screamed no, but her feet took her into the caravan. 

* * *

“You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?” the blonde, who introduced herself as Tink, commented, a ghost of a smile gracing her face as she took her seat across Regina. “Give me your hand. Left one.” 

Straight to the point. Great. Less time wasted. Regina did as she was instructed and slid her left hand across the table with an eye roll. Regret was already setting in. Goodbye to the fifteen bucks she could’ve added to her savings’ jar instead. “Mary Margaret told you about the Los Angeles incident, didn’t she? She can never keep her mouth shut—“ 

“She didn’t mention you at all. Not by name anyways. She brought up having two close friends and that was all.” Tink looked up, adding, “But you don’t believe me, do you?” 

“You want me to believe that you know my deepest, darkest secrets _and_ you can predict my future?” Regina clicked her tongue and shook her head. “No offense, a chubby man with a beard and a sack full of toys gliding down a tiny chimney on Christmas night seems more believable to me.” 

“Fair enough. But—“ the blonde held up a finger, her beam widening across her doll-like face—“I can convince you.” 

“Doubtful, but go ahead.” 

And she did. There was no stopping her when she began talking. Nonsense, of course. Regina was adamant. The clairvoyant was an observant person, she must’ve known everything—her stubbornness, which she pointed out earlier, her driven personality, her utter curiosity when it came to the universe, and generosity—all from her attitude and body language, and the clever questions exchanged between them. It really wasn’t that hard. 

But then came the surprise. 

“Your future’s going to be full.” 

And what the hell did that even mean? “My future’s going to be full?” 

“You won’t be alone anymore.“

“Yeah, no.” Regina laughed, shaking her head. Full with what? A partner? She wasn’t going to settle down with anyone. Children? She wanted nothing to do with these little beasts. “That’s not happening. Unless you mean it’s going to be full of puppies, then sure.” 

“Hush.” Tink glared. “Let me finish.” 

Uninterested, Regina still let her go on with a huff. 

“You’ll have a visitor from your past.”

People returned to other people’s lives all the time. It wasn’t something so shocking. It certainly wasn’t worth the money she was paying. Nonetheless, Regina sat through the reading quietly. 

“There will be some hurdles in your way, nothing you won’t be able to get through, though.” 

True. There wasn’t a problem Regina hasn’t fixed and moved on from. As hard as life tried knocking her down, she always got up. 

“It’ll be life changing.” The young blonde stopped and let go of her hand with a heavy sigh. “Be sure you make the right decision.” 

* * *

It was all bullshit. 

Regina walked in with that mindset and walked out the same. Though, so many things were brought up during the session that simply couldn’t be coincidental. Like the apple tree back home where she grew up in the outskirts of New York and how much it meant to her. And it meant a lot. Her father built her a fairy garden right by it and they picked its fruits whenever they were ripe and ready to be plucked. Making her grandmother’s famous turnovers and her father’s apple-walnut cakes out of them. Nothing could beat a warm slice of that cake topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of caramel, and a little bit of whipped cream never hurt anyone. Or the small crown ornament her mother sculpted out of clay for her fifth birthday and let her paint it however she wanted. She couldn’t have possibly known about them when Mary-Margaret herself didn’t. 

Even so, it was all bullshit. Nothing could change her mind.

Or so she thought. 

Her phone rang at twelve on the dot, a number she didn’t recognize. She usually ignored these calls. There was no use in answering a possible wrong number or a company with another _mind-blowing_ offer she just wouldn’t be able to turn down—ironically she always did. But the person wasn’t giving up. As soon as one call ended, another came through. By the forth time, she answered. 

“Yes?” 

_“Ah…hello. Is…is this Regina Mills?”_

“This is she.” Her brows pinched together in confusion. That voice. She heard it before…

_“It’s me, Robin. Robin Locksley.”_

Oh. Shit. 

* * *

Los Angeles. Ten years ago. 

It wasn’t a time Regina wanted to remember for many reasons, starting with her embarrassing, far-fetched dream of being an actress. 

She knew how to perform. Controlling her emotions and facial expressions, and memorizing endless lines wasn’t a challenge. The real challenge was the fact that she had absolutely not a clue where to start. Because she was unprepared. Because she woke up one morning and decided she really didn’t want to be a lawyer anymore, but an actress. So she dropped out of college, packed her belongings, bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles and went off to pursue her dream. 

Things didn’t work out, though. 

It took her a year and a half to learn the basics. Where to go. Who to contact. What she should look out for. And with every rejection that followed, she withdrew further from that dream. 

Then, after three years of living in constant gloom, she ran into him. 

Robin Locksley. The handsome Englishman who stole her breath away with his witty personality and dimpled smile.

She worked the nightshift at a chain store when he came to her line and struck up a conversation. People flirted with her often, tried impressing her with cheesy pick-up lines that made her eyes roll—she lost count just how many times she’d been asked if she fell from Heaven and if it hurt when she did. 

But not Robin. 

He was polite, started by asking her how she was, and she answered him frankly. Like shit. Because how was she supposed to feel after losing yet another role? He inquired and she explained, and the conversations flowed after that. 

He returned the next night, and then again everyday for the next week before he not-so-confidently asked her out, stammering through his sentence while his face only grew redder by the second. She couldn’t say no to that. And before she knew it, life was a little less lonely. 

They spent every minute of their free time together. Going out, having fun. Living life to the fullest. 

And perhaps that was their mistake. 

They were too wrapped up in their little bubble, spending every moment they had with one another, especially behind closed doors, they weren’t being too careful. 

Robin was back in England to sort through some familial issues when she found out. Seven pregnancy tests, multiple brands, all came the same. Positive.

Initially, after pondering over the idea for a good two weeks, Regina was going to terminate the pregnancy. It was for the best. She wasn’t ready for a lifelong commitment as that. She was young with a dream she was yet to fulfill. Having a baby would make everything harder. And then curiosity got the best of her and she made the mistake of scheduling an ultrasound appointment. 

There was a strong heartbeat, and a small bean growing inside her, and she wasn’t so sure about her decision anymore. 

So she didn’t go through with the abortion and took advantage of Robin’s absence to try and figure out another option. The plan was to wait for his return. Sit down and talk to him about it. But she panicked. The second he stepped a foot back in Los Angeles and called her, she panicked and lied, told him she was visiting her sickly father in New York, when she was confined in her one-bedroom apartment instead, where she stayed for the rest of her pregnancy, too. 

And when the baby came, she left.

* * *

Life was unexpected. That was something Robin Locksley already knew. No matter how precise every plan was, if fate had another thing in mind, fate would get its way. He learned that in forth grade after he spent a whole month excitedly rehearsing for his school play, only to strain his ankle the night before and lose his role to his nemesis, Keith Nottingham. He never liked that man. He was terrible as a child, even worse as an adult. On the brighter side, though, Keith ended up embarrassing himself by splitting his pants and forgetting his words in the middle of the act. 

But straining his ankle before an important day or missing his plane to Rome by a couple of minutes because of a godawful traffic on the way to the airport during his gap year was nothing compared to the twist life had in mind for him. 

Not even close. 

Robin was ready to hit the hay after a long, tiring day when his phone rang. Excitedly, without even so much as sparing the screen a glance, he answered, hoping it was Regina on the other end. It’d been a while since he heard anything from her. He was worried. How was she? Was her father feeling any better? When was she coming back? He missed her…

Little did he knew—she wasn’t. 

It was a nurse by the name of Belle French, calling to deliver some news. A rather shocking one, to say the least. News of a baby— _his_ baby—left in their care by the mother with a small note that included his name and number on it. He would’ve called it bluff and hung up, but she mentioned the mother’s name, and it couldn’t have been.

Regina, and she was gone. It was hard to believe she simply abandoned a baby in a hospital and walked away. It was safe, to an extent, he knew that. Hospitals, fire stations, churches, et cetera, they were safe havens for unwanted newborns. Still, she just left it there—and she never said anything to him about it. They spoke over the phone countless times while they were apart and not once did she utter a word about a pregnancy. As far as he was concerned, she was still in New York, helping her mother care for her ill father…but that was a lie. It had to be.

Was everything else between them a lie, too? 

Because his feelings for her weren’t. He really, really liked her. 

But she was gone, and he was left with a small piece of her—their daughter. Sweet, little Lyra, who filled the void Regina left behind. 

She was a beautiful bundle of joy. Grumpy, when he first saw her. Red-faced with furrowed brows, swaddled tightly in a pink blanket, and she had a headful of raven hair that grew lighter with the years, and deep, brown eyes that were identical to her mother’s. It made looking at her difficult at times. She reminded him so much of Regina, especially with how hardheaded she was. He felt guilty over it. It wasn’t a feeling he could control, and he didn’t resent his daughter over what happened either, not at all. But, sometimes, looking at her hurt. He masked the pain behind smiles and laughters, and managed through them. 

Lyra was a good baby, only cried whenever she was hungry or needed a change, and it helped. It really helped Robin get a hang of it all. His entire life turned upside down and he became a single dad overnight. No heads up, not a moment to prepare. It wasn’t tough, but it wasn’t the easy either. 

Especially on days like this. 

Like Regina, Lyra was moody. She had her little outbursts and moments of sulking, and often left him in the dark when it came to whatever caused the sudden change in her lively spirit. Most times, it was nothing serious. Just small issues with accidentally coloring outside the lines and frustrating herself, or opening the freezer only to find out that her favorite ice cream had finished. Silly things, really. 

Just not today. 

Lyra came home from school, and instead of greeting him with a tight hug and telling him all about her day as she usually did, she went straight to her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her. She may have always been temperamental, but she never slammed doors before. That was a first. 

Something was wrong, and he was right. 

Robin found her sitting on the center of the bed, glowering down at the large pierce of paper in front of her. Her reason?

“Miss Aurora said Uncle Will and Aunt Ana can’t be included in the family tree assignment because they’re not really family.” She huffed, adding, “Or Uncle John, because he’s not really family either.” 

“Sweetheart…” He sighed, quickly reassuring her,” First of all, blood doesn’t make a family.”

“Yeah, well, tell that to Miss Aurora.” There it was—Regina’s trademark glare fixed over his little girl’s face. 

Almost a decade since and it still ached the same. Why? He should’ve moved on and over her long time ago. Why the hell couldn’t he? 

“Well, let’s see.” He shifted closer, gazing down at the paper laid out in front of them. “Who have you added so far?” 

His parents’ pictures were glued on the very top, _Grandma_ and _Grandpa_ written underneath them, and his picture was below theirs, titled _Daddy_. And while the left side was filled out, the right one was spotless. Empty squares drawn in red crayons with nothing scribbled under them. 

Reserved for that missing piece to their puzzle. 

“I can’t just add you, Grandma and Grandpa, and be done with it. It’ll be too small,” Lyra argued. 

“It’s enough,” Robin insisted, tapping the tip of her nose. “Besides, Miss Aurora won’t be grading your assignment based off how many family members you’ve got. I’m sure she’ll be sufficed as long as you actually hand it over.” 

“But, _Dad_.” 

“But, Lyra,” he mimicked her whiny tone, and a smile pulled at his lips when she failed to suppress her giggle over it. There, better. “Now, why don’t you change while I go and fix you some lunch? And, oh, don’t forget to throw your clothes in the washing machine, please.”

“Gotcha!” 

He dropped a kiss to the top of her head and got up on his feet, but before he could make it to the door, her question stopped him dead in his tracks. 

“You never talk about her, why?” 

It wouldn’t take a genuine to figure out who. Her mother. 

For so many reasons. Starting with the fact that he couldn’t even think about Regina without hurting. He truly believed he fell in love with her, only to discover her lies and have her fall off the face of the earth before he could confront her with them. But that wasn’t something a little girl needed to hear about the woman who gave her life. 

“You always get sad when I bring her up,” Lyra continued, “I don’t wanna upset you, but I wanna know…” her voice trailed off, and he turned around, facing her with a tightlipped smile. 

“I do get sad,” Robin easily admitted, returning to sit on the edge of the bed again. “But it’s your right to know whatever you wanna know. So, go ahead. Ask away.” 

Boy, did she ask. 

Lyra barely stopped for a breath between one question and the other, and he must’ve answered hundreds and hundreds of them during the hour that passed. Told her all about how they met, what their first like was and where it took place, and how her mother was. Perfect, really. Despite what she put him through, she was still perfect to him. Some might argue and say perfection cannot be found in a human being, and they aren’t wrong. Humans were flawed. But Regina was the closest thing to perfection he ever come across. 

From her head to her toe, and from the inside out, she was utterly perfect. 

The stories weren’t enough, though. 

“I wanna meet her,” Lyra pleaded, and who was he to deny her? 

He should’ve. He really should’ve said no and put a stop to it there. Instead, he searched around, and that was exactly how he found himself on the phone with the same person who left him with a newborn to deal with. Out of the blue. No explanation. Nothing was written in that note aside from his name, address and number. No apologies, no reasons behind her departure. Nothing. 

_“Ro—Robin?”_

“I’m sorry if I caught you at a bad time.” It was. No matter what time he’d call her at, it would never be the right time. Because this whole thing was crazy. It was a terrible idea, and he shouldn’t even be calling her. 

There was a reason why she left. A reason why she never said goodbye. But he didn’t want to lie to his daughter about contacting her after promising her, and if anything, at least he could say he tried if things went downhill. 

_“No…no, it’s just…I wasn’t expecting to hear from you.”_

No kidding. She probably never spared him or the daughter she left behind a thought. 

“I wasn’t planning on calling,” he confessed, his voice stripped from any emotion. 

_“Then why did you?”_

“Because…because Lyra wants to meet you.” 

Silence. That’s all he heard aside from the sound of her breathing for the longest time. 

_“I’m sorry, I can’t do this.”_

“Regina, wait—“

The line went dead. She hung up. What did he expect, for her to invite him and Lyra over with open arms? 

Honestly? That conversation he had with his daughter earlier did ignite a stupid, small speck of hope in him and the thought crossed his mind, if just for a brief second. 

He should’ve known better. 

 

* * *

Lyra. 

That was the name he chose for their daughter? 

It was…beautiful, thinking about it. Combining two things they both loved. Music and astronomy. He had the most beautiful voice, and she loved the stars. The universe, really. Everything about it was fascinating. The mystery intrigued her. 

So, Lyra was fitting. 

How did she look like? Regina often wondered. She never looked at her, only caught a glimpse of dark hair out of the corner of her eyes once, because that’s all she could handle. If she looked at her, she wouldn’t have been able to leave, and she needed to go. 

Did she favor one over the other, or was she the perfect mix between them? Not a clue, but she was beautiful. Regina didn’t need to see her to know that. 

Sleep wasn’t an option after that. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t. Her mind constantly reminding her of that dreadful phone call—why did Lyra wanna meet her?

Maybe she was in for an earful. Maybe the child wanted to let it all out. Swirl of emotions ready to burst with a decent dose of buried anger. It had to be it. Why else would she wanna meet the woman who abandoned her in the hospital and went on with her life as if those nine months never occurred? 

Mary Margaret would know, or at least have some sort of an answer. If not, there’s always a hope speech up her sleeve to make her feel somewhat better. 

Unfortunately, not this time. 

“I…I don’t know what to say,” Mary Margaret stammered, evidently stunned, and rightfully so. 

Mary Margaret knew about Los Angeles. She knew about her lost dream of becoming an actress. All the failed tries, the roles she never got because she didn’t fit every detail of every character’s description. She was too fat for one, too short for another. Too pale, too tanned, not curvy enough. There was always something to pinpoint and criticize, no matter what role she auditioned for. And her friend knew about the man she met and their rendezvous, too. 

Was it really considered that, though? They didn’t call up one another and set up dates to fuck. They dated. They _lived_ together for a couple of months. It was more. It was intimate. 

But she didn’t know about her unwanted pregnancy.

It was a secret she kept from everyone. Something she truly planned on taking to the grave with her. 

Not anymore. 

“Really?” Regina scoffed. So, catching her friend at Granny’s at around seven-thirty in the morning before work while she could’ve been fast asleep was all for nothing? Granted, she could’ve waited for Mary Margaret to return home…but she didn’t want to. She lifted her mug, taking a generous sip of the warm, bitter beverage to help keep her cool. “Where’s one of your hope speeches when I need one?” 

“Regina…” Mary Margaret breathed out, sounding rather offended by her retort. It was unintentional, but seriously, where was one of those hope speeches when she needed one? “We’re not talking about a date gone wrong or you worrying over Mr. Gold increasing the bar’s rent. We’re talking about a child— _your_ child.” 

“I’m very well aware of the subject.” Regina rolled her eyes and leaned back into her seat, arms folded in front of her. “I just…” She exhaled a huff. “I just need your help to figure out what to do. I mean, there has to be a reason as to why she just wanted to meet me out of the blue.” 

“Maybe not,” Mary Margaret quickly dismissed. “Maybe she’s just curious and wants to know the woman who gave birth to her.” 

Somehow, Regina didn’t believe that.

It sounded too…simple. And life was never simple, not to her. 

“By the end of the day, you’re going with whatever you decide. But you came to me for an advice and I say go ahead, Regina. Meet her. You’ve got nothing to lose.” 

Maybe. 

Maybe not. 

“I’ll…I’ll think about it.” 

And Regina did. 

She slept on it, and then delayed it another few days to gather the courage to pick up the phone and call Robin again, let him know her whereabouts, or figure out somewhere to meet. 

It was terrifying. Not at all as simple as dialing up his number and spitting it out. She typed in the digits and deleted them over and over again, before finally pressing the call button. 

_“Hello.”_

“Hi. It’s, uh, me, Regina. 

_“I know.”_

His cold tone sent shivers down her spine. It sounded nothing like the high-spirited man she once knew. 

“Oh, okay.” She cleared her throat, still pacing back and forth around her bedroom. “I was…wondering if the girl—“

_“Lyra.”_

She frowned when he corrected her with a bite to his tone. “Lyra. Sorry. I was wondering if Lyra still wanted to…meet me.”

* * *

To say that he was surprised would be an understatement. Robin was beyond shocked to hear from Regina again. 

He firmly believed she’d be out of his life for good after the phone call. The way she reacted, refusing to listen and hanging up, was enough evidence to support his way of thinking. But he was wrong, and he was glad to be. 

It’d been five days since he promised Lyra to call. Five days of him making excuses as to why he didn’t have an answer to her question, about whether or not Regina wanted to meet her. Postponing the truth was awful, he knew that, but he couldn’t bear putting her through the pain of rejection. 

Luckily, he didn’t have to. Regina called and gave him the address, and off they were, over three-thousand miles away from home on an adventure. 

“You excited?” 

Robin really didn’t have to ask. It was clear as day just how ecstatic Lyra’s been ever since he told her about the trip to Storybrooke, Maine—what an odd, little name. He never knew such place existed. In his defense, it was a small town in the middle of nowhere, not even on the map. 

She’d been over the moon, telling everyone she came in contact with about it. Will and Ana, his parents, who were completely against the whole idea, and he understood why. They saw his struggles as a single dad, all the times he was on the verge of tears due to stress, and they didn’t like Regina for it. Even though he never badmouthed her. Not once. Even the doorman knew of their trip, wishing them luck and a safe journey on the way out. 

So, it was safe to say she was excited. Immensely. The same couldn’t be said about him, though. 

He wasn’t eager to face Regina again, not one bit. His stomach in knots at the mere thought of being in the same room as her. But it was for his daughter. He’d have to be civil for her sake. 

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Lyra confirmed, wearing a broad smile as he tucked her in with a kiss on the forehead. “I wish you had a picture of her, so I could see it and recognize her when I meet her.”

He did. One. Hidden away in the very back of his closet. He stared at it at times. Whenever things were hard and whenever he was liquored up, he’d talk to her photo as if he was talking to her. Telling her about Lyra and what she was missing out on. Telling her about his shitty days and blaming her for it. Telling her about the ever-growing pain in his chest and desperately begging her to come back. 

“You’ll know her when you see her,” Robin promised. “And you already know she’s got brown eyes like yours.” His smile grew as Lyra’s beam brightened at the resemblance. “And beautiful, black hair.” 

“Is it long or short?”

“Long. Well, it used to be. It went past her shoulders down to her upper back. I don’t know how it is now, though.”

“Is it curly like mine?”

He grinned. Oh, the torture he had to endure brushing out her tangled curls. “Yes, you definitely inherited that from her. But it wasn’t as bad as yours is.” 

Lyra only giggled. “What else? Tell me more.”

And they went on until sleep claimed her. It was bittersweet, reliving through these memories once more. It was hard of a tale to tell, but the joy in Lyra’s eyes made it all worth it. 

* * *

It was a bad, bad idea. 

She shouldn’t have agreed. She shouldn’t have even made that call. But she did, and now she was in the middle of a busy diner waiting for her former boyfriend to arrive with their daughter. _Their_ daughter. 

She lived the past years as if that period in her life never happened, it felt weird referring to her a such. 

Regina puffed out a huff, still fidgeting with the ring on her pinky. Maybe somewhere secluded would’ve been better, incase the kid decided to blow up in her face as she was certain would happen. It would draw less attention to the drama. 

Too late, though. 

The bell over the door jingled, followed a sweet laughter that belonged to a child, and another one, deep and all too familiar. 

Robin. 

As curious as she was, she refrained from looking back at them. She _couldn’t_ even if she tried. Her body was frozen in her stiff posture she was in, and her heart was beating wildly beneath her ribcage, thumping away in her ears. So much, she feared it would burst out of her chest.

“Regina.” 

She gulped, lifting her head up only to be met by soft blues staring right back at her. He changed—obviously, ten years passed. But not so much, and not in a terrible way. His blonde hair was graying on the sides, and there were a few wrinkles here and there. And he grew a beard, well, a stubble, really. 

Beside him was a small brunette and, _oh_. 

She was beautiful.

Regina’s eyes watered and she swallowed the lump lodged in her throat as she took her in. She had her father’s nose, and her lips, and dark, honey brown hair that fell over her shoulders in loose ringlets. And then she smiled, a smile identical to Robin’s, baring a deep set of dimples on both her cheeks. She was the perfect combination of the two of them. 

“Hi,” Lyra said, and Regina suppressed a chuckle. They even shared the same accent. What did she expect from a child raised by an Englishman? It was adorable, though. It made her smile. 

“Hi there.” 

“I’m Lyra,” the girl merrily introduced, extending a hand, and Regina happily took it, giving it a gentle shake. 

This was the baby that grew inside her ten years ago. The little rascal that sat atop of her bladder and kicked her in the ribs. Who wiggled whenever she tried to sleep and had her craving all sorts of weird things. Such a surreal feeling to see her all grown.

“I’m…Regina,” she hesitated. Labeling herself as her mother didn’t feel right. She wasn’t there, she _had_ no right to that title. “I’m so happy to finally meet you.” 

“Me, too.” Lyra grinned, and all her worries were gone. A sense of relief consumed her, replacing the dread she’d been feeling ever since she and Robin reconnected.

Mary-Margaret was right again. Lyra didn’t ask to see her to put all her anger on her. She just wanted to know her. 

And she wanted to know her, too.

* * *

 

They talked over breakfast. Lyra, much like herself, loved apples and settled on Granny’s apple pancakes, drowning them in maple syrup the way Robin always did to his stack and a hefty amount of whipped cream. God, what was it with the Locksley’s and their undying love for sweet things? 

Regina learned a lot during the half an hour they spent together. They still lived in Los Angeles, and Lyra had two best friends named Grace and Ava. English was her favorite subject at school, and she also enjoyed performing. She had an upcoming play right before Christmas, and she was the lead, too. 

It made her proud.

But, not once did Robin utter a single word. He barely even acknowledged her presence. 

“Thank you,” Regina started, gesturing toward the chirpy, little girl skipping ahead of them, “for bringing her. I know you didn’t have to—“

“I didn’t do it for you,” Robin quickly shut her down, his gaze fixed over Lyra instead. “I did it for her. She wanted to meet you. If it was up to me, I would’ve kept her as far as I could from you.” There it was again, the bite in his tone she never heard before. Perhaps he changed more than she thought he did. “The day I met her, I made her a promise that as long as I am alive, she’d never be hurt. And the only thing you’re good at is inflicting pain.”

“Robin—“

“Save it,” he hissed, his brows pinched together as he faced her. “I don’t wanna hear any of it.”

And if he didn’t want to hear her explanation, he wouldn’t. She knew him enough to know her words would go unheard by him. So she clamped her mouth shut and wrapped her arms around herself.

* * *

 

He tried ignoring her the best he could, forcing himself to concentrate on anything else but her. It was hard, especially whenever she laughed at the stories and silly jokes Lyra kept telling her. It made his heart clench. They shared those moments, too, once. Where he made her laugh uncontrollably at his stupid jokes that weren’t even funny, or by being his clumsy self, and she’d laugh and laugh until she was red in the face, begging him to stop because her cheeks ached and stomach hurt. 

He had to get used to this, though. They had three more days to spend together. 

Three. Fucking. Days. And he was barely surviving the first. 

“She’s a great kid, you know.” Regina’s words cut through the silence, forcing Robin’s attention away from Lyra on the swing set toward her. “You did good—great, really. You did a great job raising her.” 

He did. He prided himself in that. It was a struggle, between working three jobs to make ends meet and taking care of his daughter, but he raised a well-behaved, young girl. Polite with a strong personality. She always fought for her right, and instead of lashing out on others who’d wrong her, she was kind to them. She taught him so many things—one of them being forgiveness. 

He forgave Regina a long time ago. Forgave her secrecy. Forgave her disappearance. Forgave her selfish act of turning his life upside down overnight and walking away. 

But forgiveness didn’t equal living a painless life. He was still hurting. And apparently it showed. 

“I never meant to hurt you…” 

Robin sucked in a sharp breath and closed his eyes. Well, she failed terribly at that, didn’t she? 

“I got scared, okay?”

And he didn’t? He was terrified beyond words. “I was twenty-four, Regina. Twenty-four and working my ass off just to get by. I shared a small apartment with a man you _knew_ brought a different woman back home every night, and you still thought that was the best environment to toss your baby in.”

“I wasn’t thinking.” 

“Clearly.” 

“I had no choice.”

“And you never gave me one!” He snapped. It wasn’t his intention but he reached his breaking point. She had the nerve to sit there and come up with all these excuses. If she’d just _told_ him, there was no doubt in his mind things would’ve been different. Better. “I’m here because Lyra wants to be here. I didn’t come to rekindle whatever we had in the past, so spare me the friendly conversations.” 

* * *

The day wasn’t half as bad as Regina expected it to be. However, it wasn’t great. She hoped that while Lyra entertained herself at the park, she’d have the chance to speak to Robin. Explain herself, why she did what she did, and apologize, too. It was wrong. _She_ was wrong, and it took her a little while to realize that. Keeping her pregnancy a secret and then throwing that huge responsibility for him to bear alone wasn’t fair. But he didn’t want to hear any of it. He cut her off and shut her down whenever she spoke, making it perspicuous that he had no intention of listening to what she had to say. 

It seemed he forgot she was stubborn, though, and she wasn’t planning on giving up. 

Not this time. And that was exactly how she found herself in the middle of Storybrooke’s annual autumn carnival the next evening, waiting for him to arrive with their daughter. He persisted, but a few mentions of candied apples, game booths and petting zoos were enough to excite the Lyra, and her excitement was enough to convince Robin. 

“Regina!” 

Her name was called amongst the crowd, but it didn’t come from the person she was expecting. 

“Mary Margaret,” Regina greeted, giving her friend a hug when she went in for one. 

“I didn’t expect to see you here.” Mary Margaret seemed astonished by that and, well, she had every right to be. 

Regina was never a fan of the carnival, usually stayed home with a bottle of red and ordered in apizza as everyone else was having the time of their lives. She attended it once, five years ago, and never again. It was too jam-packed for her liking, and too childish for her to enjoy. It was a waste of time. 

And it was also something a ten-year-old would love. So, there she was, enduring the loud noises and the stench of sweat every time someone squeezed in beside her. 

“Actually—“ 

Her sentence was interrupted by a loud _Regina!_ and before she knew it, she was knocked back a step by the force of a small frame slamming into her. 

“Careful, Lyra,” Robin reminded, and Regina waved it off. Too dumbstruck by the hug to care. 

It was unexpected, definitely knocked the wind out of her, but it felt…nice. 

They parted ways with a hug the day before and it was an awkward one that lasted not longer than a second. This wasn’t. It felt normal. It felt right. 

“Lyra…” Mary Margaret uttered in shock, shaking Regina out of her daze. “Oh, it’s so nice to meet you.” 

Lyra’s arms tightened slightly around Regina and that was her cue to speak. “Lyra, this is my friend, Mary Margaret.” 

“Hi,” the girl finally spoke, a dimpled smile brightening her face. “How did you know who I was?” Her brows creased, and Mary Margaret chuckled. 

“Regina mentioned you before,” Mary Margaret explained, “and…and you look so much like her. I just knew it.” 

“She did?” Lyra gasped, then glanced at Regina, who nodded in confirmation, smoothing a hand over her hair.

Clearly, that made Lyra feel special. It was obvious in the way her grin stretched from ear to ear. And she hoped she’d never know what the conversation she was brought up in was. It’ll disappoint her. 

“And you must be Robin,” Mary Margaret added, extending a hand toward him, and he took it with a smile, giving it a friendly shake. 

“That’s me. Pleasure meeting you.” 

“Pleasure’s all mine,” Mary Margaret practically purred, making Regina’s eyes roll. “Well, I’ll leave you guys enjoy your outing. I’ve got a date to get to.” She smiled bashfully, waving toward the tall, blonde standing a few feet away, holding two cones of cotton candy in his hands. 

Was he the Prince Charming the psychic told Mary Margaret about? 

Were Robin and Lyra the people returning from her past? It couldn’t be, though. The psychic told her she wouldn’t be alone after that. Only, she would be. They were leaving in two days. And even so, Robin despised her. He didn’t need words to let her know how he felt about her. How would her life be so full with a man who couldn’t look her in the eyes and a daughter that didn’t consider her her mother? 

It was a sham. She’d stand by that for as long as she was alive. 

* * *

“Regina looks sad,” Lyra commented, and Robin’s gaze darted toward her, standing where no one stood, arms wrapped around herself. 

She did look sad. Distant. Present but at the same time, not quite. And he shouldn’t care if she was sad. If she was in agony. But no matter how hard he tried to be angry with her. To hate her. He couldn’t. 

He tried for ten years and there wasn’t an ounce of hatred built up inside him toward her. It made him furious. She wronged him. She wronged Lyra. And he still loved her like nothing happened between them. 

“I think you should go talk to her.” 

“I think we should give her some space. Maybe all this is too much for her.” 

“I think you should go talk to her,” Lyra pressed, then turned toward balloon darts’ booth and pointed straight at it. “And you should win her that stuffed elephant. It’s really cute. I think she’ll like it.” 

“Lyra—“

“It’ll make her happy,” she chirped. 

The argument died on the tip of his tongue when his daughter looked up at him with her big, brown eyes, flickering with hope. 

To hell with that. 

He’ll get her the goddamn stuffed elephant.

It took him three tries to finally win the gray, plushy toy. Ten bucks for every four darts, thirty in total, and it was a ripoff. That stupid toy was _not_ worth thirty dollars! 

“Now, go over there and give it to her,” Lyra instructed, as if it was the simplest thing in the world, and shoved him in the direction Regina was standing. 

He walked to the end of the carnival, passing by dozens and dozens of people just to get to her. Then, right before he reached her, he cast his daughter a glance and shook his head with a smothered chuckle at the two thumbs up she gave him. She knew exactly what she was doing. She was too smart not to. 

Well, there goes nothing. 

Robin cleared his throat to make his presence known, and Regina jumped, turning around to face him with wide eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” 

Her stiff shoulders relaxed and she dismissed his apology with a wave of her hand. “I just wasn’t expecting you to come around, that’s all. Or anyone, really.” 

Expect the unexpected, right? 

That’s how their lives had been. Full of surprises. All sorts of them. 

“Got you this.” He held the gray elephant out between them. Straightforward, no pleasantries. No nothing. 

You got that for _me_?” 

“Well, Lyra said you looked upset and basically bullied me into getting it for you.” 

“Oh.” Her smile fell as quickly as it appeared, and although she sounded disappointed, she accepted the gift. “Thanks, I guess.” 

He responded with a tightlipped smile and turned around to leave. He did what he was told. He talked to Regina and gave her the stuffed elephant—so why the hell was he still standing there? His feet refusing to move and inch, glueing him in place. 

And she must’ve sensed him behind her, because she glanced over her shoulder at him and admitted, “I don’t know why I did it.” 

“What?”

“Keeping the pregnancy a secret and then walking away. I don’t know why I did that.” She sniffled and her arms tightened around herself, and his hand itched to reach for her and comfort her as he always did whenever she felt down. “I guess…I guess I was at my lowest. Four years of running around and auditioning only to come back empty-handed didn’t feel good. I felt like a failure. I knew I was, and I knew I would be as a mother, too.” 

“Regina—“

“No, let me finish,” she pleaded, finally facing him, eyes glistening with tears. “I felt like I was suffocating, like I had no choice. I know…I _know_ things would’ve been different if I talked to you about it. You always had your way of making me feel better whenever I was too stressed and overwhelmed, but I physically couldn’t. I tried. Every time we spoke over the phone, I wanted to tell you, but the words would never come out. And I’m not excusing my actions, what I did is still wrong. But I—“ She choked over a sob and shook her head. “But I want you to know that I’m really, really sorry.” 

Truth be told, Robin came to Storybrooke expecting Regina to apologize. Just not like this. Not so sincerely. He thought of her as this selfish human being for the past decade and envisioned a shallow apology to shut him up. 

This was anything but a shallow apology. 

“I never hated you,” he confessed, stepping closer. “I tried. God knows I tried so hard to hate you. I reminded myself of what you did every single day hoping it’ll fuel my anger enough for me to despise your very existence, and it didn’t.” He nodded his head back toward their daughter. “Because she taught me to forgive, and I forgave you a long time ago, Regina.” He reached forward, catching the tear out of the corner of her eye just as it fell. “I lived in the past for far too long. What do you say we forget about it and move forward, give ourselves a chance to enjoy the present?”

She mirrored his smile, slowly nodding her head. “I say it’s a good idea.”

“Well, it’s settled then!” he exclaimed, then held his hand out toward her. “I’m Robin Locksley. It’s nice meeting you.” 

With a wholehearted laugh, she slipped her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. “I’m Regina Mills. It’s really nice to meet you, too.” 

“Do you think I can convince you to join me and that cheeky, little thing over there,” he said, pointing at Lyra, “for some hot cocoa?” 

“With extra mini marshmallows?” 

“As many as your heart desires.” 

“So, it’s a date?” 

Robin pulled his lower lip between his teeth, but even that didn’t hide his growing smile. “It’s a date.”

* * *

 


End file.
